Claudio Musso on the Return of Painting: A Critical Reflection
Claudio Musso, coordinator of an academic course in Painting and Visual Arts, critiques the recurring narrative of a "return to painting" in the art world. He references a video interview by Fabrizio Varesco with Giulio Guberti, former animator of Loggetta Lombardesca (now MAR – Museo d'Arte della città di Ravenna), who claimed that in the late 1970s, private gallerists pushed for a return to painting because installations and video art were not selling. Musso questions whether painting ever truly left, and explores the roles of artists, the art system, and medium-specific discourse. He cites James Rosenquist on how cinema influenced Pop painting, noting that Andy Warhol treated films like paintings. Musso calls for a more nuanced understanding of painting's cyclical fortunes, avoiding simplistic separations between media.
Key facts
- Claudio Musso is coordinator of an academic course in Painting and Visual Arts.
- Fabrizio Varesco recorded an interview with Giulio Guberti.
- Giulio Guberti was animator of Loggetta Lombardesca, now MAR – Museo d'Arte della città di Ravenna.
- Guberti stated that private gallerists pushed for a return to painting in the late 1970s because installations and video art were not selling.
- James Rosenquist commented that cinema influenced painting, and Andy Warhol treated films like paintings.
- Rosenquist said art students were still taught to splash paint.
- Musso questions whether painting ever truly left the art scene.
- The article was published on Artribune Magazine #51.
Entities
Artists
- Claudio Musso
- Fabrizio Varesco
- Giulio Guberti
- James Rosenquist
- Andy Warhol
Institutions
- Loggetta Lombardesca
- MAR – Museo d'Arte della città di Ravenna
- Artribune Magazine
Locations
- Ravenna
- Italy